Finding mojo.

Finding mojo.

I am not sad or depressed. I am just a bit lost.

Motivation and me…we like to play hide and seek with each other. I find it and I lose it. I find it again and I lose it again. It’s been going on for a while until I realized I should give this little game a serious thought. So, I began by asking myself a very simple question: Why I am not motivated and what can I do to stay motivated?

There are many things I want to do in life. Get fit and healthy, learn a new language, read more, write more, paint more, run a marathon, start my own business, etc. My wants and dreams and desires run like the endless sky.

So, it is very important for a restless (or perhaps, a dreamer?) soul like me to stay motivated at all times. A new dream is like a new romance where just the thought of your new love is enough to light up your life. Everything is good at the beginning. Only when it starts to go from sizzle to fizzle, that’s when you realize something is wrong. Many times, if not always, lack of motivation is the only reason that stops you from doing what you love doing. Romance is still there, you just have to figure out how to get your mojo back.

Sometimes, all we have to do is, pause and take that brave journey within yourself. Understand your fears, know your distractions, and eventually find your own ways to stay motivated.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE AFRAID OF THE MOST.

My problem is, I invest so much of myself while during anything that often times this becomes a hindrance rather than an advantage. I care more about pain of the journey than pleasure of reaching the destination. Whether it is writing an article, painting a new portrait, or as miniscule as cooking a meal or cleaning…I just cannot do anything half-heartedly! I’m also afraid of whether I can do as good or even better than last time.

REMEMBER WHY YOU FELL IN LOVE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Remembering, “why did you want do it” can help get you back on track. The right track. It is alright to fall off as long as you can bring yourself back up. You’ve got to keep shoveling coals of motivation and keep your train moving. I think about “how I feel” whenever I have wandered off. I think about the chance of meeting new characters through a book or being in a mediation zone while writing. I think about how exercise enables me to feel stronger and more capable.

IDENTIFY YOUR DISTRACTIONS AND STAY AWAY FROM THEM.

In a world full of distractions, it is easy to go left when you want to go right. Noise, TV, phone, people, food, and many other things can easily affect us. Phone (emails and WhatsApp) and Internet (Youtube and mindless browsing) are my demons of distractions . After acknowledging my embarrassment, I found a simple solution to fight them. All I do is, turn off the notifications and keep my phone away from my desk when I’m working. Also, I don’t browse unless the topic I am writing on needs some research.

CLEAN UP.

I like to have a clean plate to serve my meal of the day. I am not a neat freak or a germaphobe but I like to clear away the mess right away. It is just an old habit and also otherwise I wouldn’t know where to start from if mess keeps becoming messier. My work desk, closet, kitchen, and bedroom are my focus areas. It is not because “I want to do it” but because “I need to do it”. I work from home so a neat environment is always a mood enhancer and a motivational factor.

EXERCISE.

I really, really believe exercise is the key that will open up many doors of happiness and success for you. I go for a walk and Zumba class twice a week but my ultimately aim is to do something every day even if it is just a 10-minute stretching. I’ve also started a fitness journal to help me take this seriously and make exercise a daily habit. Moreover, keeping fitness goals helps me stick to my other commitments and makes me feel good about myself.

JUST DO IT.

If nothing works, stop everything, and just do that one thing you’ve been meaning to do. It should work. It always works. The reason for not updating my blog for so long was I just wasn’t motivated enough. But, today, I literally chained myself to my desk and didn’t get up until I was done writing.